Egypt
Come to the very cradle of civilization, where five thousand years of African grandeur wait to embrace you and welcome you home. Journey with us back through time to glimpse the glory and the mystery that was ancient Egypt. Experience the timeless wonder of the pyramids, and stand before the silent, watchful sphinx. Feast your eyes on pharonic gold and the priceless treasures of Tutankhamun. Walk in the majestic Valley of the Kings and in the teeming streets of Cairo, where ancient trades and customs endure amidst the clamor of modern commerce. Shop for silk and spices as you wander through the aromatic passageways of a Nubian bazaar. Cruise the fabled Nile. Visit the healing temple at Kom Ombo, the sacred temples of Isis and Hours and, most magnificent of all, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a great woman of the Negro Eighteenth Egyptian Dynasty. Visit the newly open Nubian museum with all it history of the past, which highlights past Black African culture and leadership in Egypt. Though their story remains largely untold, so-called "black pharaohs" ruled ancient Egypt for nearly half a century. They played a major role in unifying the country and created glorious monuments, which still stand today. You'll enjoy five-star dining and deluxe hotel accommodations at the Mena House Oberoi in Giza, and you'll cruise the Nile from Luxor to Aswan aboard a luxurious Nile cruise ship. Renowned Egyptologists will travel with you to illuminate your journey. Tour dates:
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Itinerary
Day 1, Tuesday: Depart for Cairo
Departure via your EgyptAir flight to Cairo.
Day 2., Wednesday: Cairo & Giza (D)
Upon arrival in Cairo in the early afternoon, you will be met at the airport by your special representative and assisted through
immigration and customs. You will then be transported via motorcoach to Giza and the five-star Mena House Oberoi Hotel located
at the base of the Great Pyramid. Welcome dinner at your hotel.
Day 3, Thursday: Giza Pyramids, Great Sphinx (B)
Awaken early to see the sun rise on the Giza Plateau of the Pyramids & Sphinx as you hear the Muezzins calling the entire city to
prayer at the distant minarets. At breakfast you will be joined by your Egyptologist and guides who will accompany you to the pyramids
and the Great Sphinx where they will enlighten you with detailed examination of these towering monuments of antiquity and their rich
history. At noon you will visit the famed Papyrus Gallery Institute, where skilled craftsmen make copies of the art and artifacts of
the tombs and temples. Lunch is on your own. The rest of the day is free: Explore, shop or take a short ride into the mighty Sahara
Desert on horseback or camelback. Dinner on your own.
Day 4, Friday: In Giza and Optional Excursion to Saqqara (B)
Morning at leisure for independent activities, with an optional tour to the Old Kingdom necropolis of Saqqara and King Zoser's Step
Pyramid, built by Imhotep, the earliest of these major monuments. Other sites at Saqqara include the Pyramid of Unas, with its
pristine hieroglyphic texts, and the Serapeum, tomb of the sacred Apis bulls. For those who choose this optional tour, lunch will be
served at a typical countryside Egyptian restaurant. The group will also stop at a carpet factory before returning to the hotel to
relax. For dinner this evening, try one of Cairo's exciting restaurants.
Day 5, Saturday: To Luxor, and Embark on Cruise (B/L/D)
Departure for Cairo Airport and your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival in Luxor, you will be escorted to your cruise ship, the
luxurious King of Thebes. After settling in, you will be served lunch on board. The afternoon will be devoted to the exploration
of the magnificent temples of Luxor and Karnak (Sacred Lake, & Hypostyle Hall), the former built amidst the ruins of ancient
Thebes and once connected to the colossal Temple of Karnak by a two-mile-long Avenue of Sphinxes. Dinner will be served aboard
the cruise ship.
Day 6, Sunday: Thebes and the Valley of the Kings (B/L/D)
The entire day is devoted to exploring Thebes. You'll ferry across the Nile to the West Bank where you will visit the Valley of
the Kings (18th & 19th Dynasty). Here you will find the great funerary texts comprising of The Egyptian Book of the Dead, The
Book of Going Forth by Day, The Book of Gates and others, exquisitely carved and painted on the tomb walls. Here also are the
Colossi of Memnon and Queen Hatshepsut's magnificent temple at Deir el-Bahri, which in her own time was known as Djeser Djeseru,
the "Splendor of Splendors." You return to the ship for lunch and departure for Edfu. The captain will host a welcoming cocktail
party, which will be followed by dinner and a free evening as you cruise up the Nile.
Day 7, Monday: Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you will visit the Temple of Horus, the falcon-headed god who embodies the principle of resurrection. The rest
of the day is spent onboard, with a stop at Kom Ombo, the legendary ancient healing temple that overlooks a bend in the river
before continuing on to Aswan, gateway to Nubia. Nubians are the people of northern Sudan and southern Egypt. With history and
traditions, which can be traced to the dawn of civilization, the Nubians first settled along the banks of the Nile from Aswan.
The colorful Nubian bazaar, the promenade along the Nile and the smiles of the Nubian people make Aswan a favorite city for many
visitors to Egypt. "Egyptian Nights" is the theme of dinner and the evening's entertainment, and everyone is invited to don
Egyptian galabas, which are available for purchase on the ship.
Day 8, Tuesday: In Aswan (B/L)
You take an early-morning boat ride to the island of Philae and the Temple of Isis, where your Egyptian host will share with you
how this graceful antiquity was meticulously moved, stone by stone, from its original site (now submerged) to its new, higher island
home in the middle of Lake Nasser. With its sculpted pylons and pillars gleaming white or yellow gold, it is set like a jewel in the
black rock against the royal-blue lake. After lunch you will enjoy a felucca ride (sailboats used on the Nile since antiquity)
before transferring to your hotel for an evening at leisure to explore Aswan.
Day 9. In Aswan (B/L)
This morning you will visit the newly opened Nubian Museum which highlights past Black African culture and leadership in Egypt.
After lunch at a Nubian restaurant, drive to an authentic Nubian village for an enjoyable visit and lunch. Return to your hotel.
Day 10. To Cairo, Morning optional tour to Abu Simbel (B/D)
This morning there is a choice of two early morning activities. One will be to relax and take a late breakfast. Or take the
optional tour to the Temples at Abu Simbel. Located near the southern border of Egypt with Sudan. The Great Temple is dedicated
to Rameses II and Queen Nefertari, the love of his life. The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the
Pharaoh, each over 67 feet high. The temples were shifted to higher ground in the 1960s as the waters of Lake Nasser began to
rise following completion of the Aswan High Dam. Return to Aswan. Later in the morning, transfer to the airport for return
flight to Cairo. After checking into Mena House Hotel, you will visit the world-renowned Egyptian Museum, with its collection of
relics dating back to 4000 B.C. The crowning jewel of the museum is the priceless treasure of Tutankhamun, where the curator will
shed much light on the child king for you. Evening brings you to your farewell dinner with entertainment.
Day 11. To USA (B)
Early-morning departure to Cairo Airport for your return flight to New York via EgyptAir.
NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control. Prices are subject to
change without notice until time of deposit. All dollar values not denoted otherwise are US Dollars.
Tour Pricing and Registration
Prices quoted will include a discount for payment by check. However, all payments may be made by using a credit card, but the discount will not apply.
2011 Departures
Please call us (800) 365-1408 (toll free in the U.S.) for our latest prices, per person, double occupancy, which INCLUDE roundtrip International airfare from NYC
PLUS: to be added to quoted price for all passengers, per person
Prepaid Gratuities for applicable guides, escorts, drivers, wait and hotel staff, portage, etc. quoted at time of registration
Egyptian Visa: quoted at time of registration
International Air Taxes: quoted at time of registration
Current Fuel Surcharges: quoted at time of registration
A Single Room is available throughout the tour at an additional cost on request
Optional Excursions:
- Day 3 - Sahara Desert Horse or Camelback - on request
- Day 4 - Saqqara - on request
- Day 9 - Abu Simbel, including roundtrip air from Aswan, - on request
Pre/post nights are available upon request. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Call (800) 365-1408 (toll free in the U.S.) or email us if you have any questions or would like to connect with us.
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